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Saturday, November 1, 2008

WHEW! G. HAMILTON IS STILL HOT (OOPS! I MEAN TAN!)

Well, I can tell you this....George Hamilton is still tan and still very attractive, and George Hamilton is a riot! He is 69 years old and had young women swooning over him when he came to our little town last week (as if we old women weren't swooning too). He appeared at our local theater. It used to be a movie theater, but was converted to a "live" theater venue in the early 70's.

George (excuse me, Mr. Hamilton) lived in our small town (Blytheville, Arkansas) until he was about 11 years old, so he used to watch movies at this theater. He has just written a book, and he was kind enough to come back to our little town to help raise money for the Arts Council's children's programs. Tickets were sold, and the plan was that he would be interviewed on the stage.

The first question the interviewer asked him was "How do you keep your tan?" George (hey, I was sitting on the front row, and I did hug him, so I think we're on a first name basis now--even if he doesn't know MY first name!) started talking and didn't stop. He kept the audience entertained for an hour and a half. I did not expect him to be so funny. The audience was laughing the entire hour and a half!

He explained that when he left our little town of Blytheville, he, his mother and his brothers moved to Florida. He said that girls had never paid any attention to him, although he had tried to get their attention. When he got to Florida, he didn't know anyone, and the girls he tried to talk to didn't seem interested. He finally got bored and just laid on the beach. The resulting tan led to girls being all over him! That's when he made up his mind that he would never be without a tan again. When he has filmed in a place where the sun is not available, it was in his contract that he would be flown somewhere each weekend where he could soak up rays. (Don't ask me why his skin doesn't look like an orange peal, as mine would if I did that). He made fun of himself about his tan being so important to him, but he did say that he often does not wear makeup for t.v. shows, and he did not wear makeup when he did "Dancing With the Stars".

That was an easy segue into a story about the "Dancing With the Stars" show. (George and I are very similar in our speaking abilities-we both just go from one story to the next without taking a breath--I think the interviewer asked 2 more questions in the hour and a half they were on stage!) Just before he was scheduled to participate in "Dancing With the Stars", he cracked several ribs in an accident and was put on medication. He claims that is what caused his foolishness (apparently lusting after his partner) on the show. He also takes credit for changes in the show. His "old man lusting" was such a hit that since then, every season, Dancing With the Stars has an older person on the show, making a fool of themselves, just as he had done.

George's grandfather was a doctor in our little town, and George said he always thought that he would also be a doctor. (His father was a "big band" director at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, which is about 60 miles from Blytheville). Several people in our town tell stories about George's grandfather delivering them at birth. When the new parents had not selected a baby name, they asked George's mother for suggestions. She was always enamoured with Hollywood, and she would suggest the name of a movie star, and that is how some people in our town got their names! I understand she loved Gary Cooper, so that may explain why we have a lot of men named "Gary" in our town.

He entertained us with stories about going to the movie theater in Blytheville. He said that, in elementary school, he figured out that if he dated the girl whose parent's owned the theater, he got in free (she really was a pretty girl though-still is). He also said that his mother knew that she could give each of her three boys a quarter, send them to the movies on Saturday afternoon, and not have to put up with them until that evening.

While in Florida, George was in a school play. He enjoyed the stage, and decided he would go try his acting out in Hollywood. He only had enough money to have one picture made for his portfolio, but it must have been a good picture, because it landed him a part in a movie right away. He said his mother and older brother were so excited that, like locusts, they immediately descended upon him in Hollywood. They bought a mansion with his money, and his brother furnished it in beautiful French and English antiques. George said it was a long time before he realized just how much money his mother and brother had spent. He did say he was glad that his brother (whom he referred to as half brother, half sister) had such good taste! He said he always thought his brother was in love with Betty Grable until he found out that his brother wanted to BE Betty Grable!

George' s mother, Teeny, always wanted to be a movie star, or at the very least, date one. She dated several stars and married several very interesting men. The mansion she bought (with George's money) was in the Mary Pickford compound. Mary was married to Buddy Rogers, and Buddy and George's mother had an on-going affair, which Mary Pickford knew about. (I'm tellin' ya, this was a whole different way of life!) Teeny also dated Ronald Reagn, Clark Gable, and Howard Huhges. George said he thought everybody grew up not knowing what famous person might be at their breakfast table in the morning.

I had forgotten that George Hamilton had "dated" one of Lyndon Johnson's daughters (while LBJ was president). He told about going to the ranch to meet the Johnsons. He said, LBJ drove him out in a jeep, and there were big rifles in the jeep. He had no idea that he and LBJ would be hunting on the ranch, but after seeing the guns, he was glad to know they were going hunting. At some point, he was sitting in the jeep, when President Johnson got out of the jeep and began "relieving" himself while talking to George. George joked about answering questions from the President of the United States while the President was relieving himself (do you look at the President when you speak to him .... even if he's doing that?)

After the "interview", George Hamilton was so gracious to us little town folk. He stood in the lobby of the theater and talked to and hugged anyone who wanted to talk to him or hug him. You will be surprised to hear, that I was only able to mumble a few words to him (something about how much I enjoyed his visit), but I was able to hug him and have my picture made. (Of course, I almost swooned-he is one hot 69 year-old guy!)

I don't know what my DH did to my camera when it came time to take my picture with the star, but the pictures he took did not turn out. (I'm still trying to forgive him!) Someone else took one of me with George, and if I get that picture, I will add it to this post (just to prove that I did hug George Hamilton, and that my knees didn't completely buckle...until I got outside the theater!)

21 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Laurie, another joy filled read! I again, chuckled all the way through. I must say I agree that he is still very (hot) tan! What a nice thing for him to do for his old home town. I felt just like I was there with you. I think your dreams of being a writer were right on. You are a wonderful writer. Erma Bombeck move over! Love ya, Cindy

What fun you must have had! I first movie I remember seeing George Hamilton in was Viva Maria with Brigette Bardot & Jeanne Moreau. He was such a hunk!!! Hope you able to track down that picture soon! :0} Diane

I remember seeing Mr. Hamilton in the movie "Your Cheatin' Heart".Some people never seem to age. He must live right. He is close to my age bracket (only a few years older) and I still think of him as a "hunk". Just like with Elvis, I had fantasies, that if he could only meet me, I could make his life complete, and he could quit searching for a soul mate.

Laurie Girl!!! did you give him your autograph ??? I would have been all over him like a suit girl..Wow he still looks great..the way you tell the story was like I was right there with you in the front row..now the BOSS with the camera thing I would fix him I would't sleep with him after that..haha!! great story girl as always..Hugs and smiles Gloria

What a fun story. I learned so much I didn't know about him. I think it's really cool that he took the time to return to his hometown ...and that he was so genuine and made himself so accessable. Seems like a really nice man. Thanks for sharing this fun experience with us!

You do lead an interesting life.. now after meeting George I don't think I would be close to normal....swoooooonnnnn...Thanks so much for swinging by and admiring my darling lamp... it is truly special to me..hugs ~lynne~

Laurie... I just love GEORGE and his tan... I wonder if I knew him in FL... LOL LOL... I bet I dated him... LOL again... It was an interesting post I tottaly enjoyed it... Thanks.. Your pictures of him were wonderful...

What a story.And you tell it so well.I too felt like I was right there with you.He is a honey,has always been a honey,and probably always will be a honey.As Happy To Be said,I would have been all over him too.What a drag about the picture.I do hope you get one.Now that would be a sin if you never got it.But at least you'll always have your moemories.I'll bet he smelled like heaven,right?...Ann

Laurie you could be a reporter girl! You did a fabulous job in the retelling! I was hangin' on every word! And that Mr Hamilton is a very handsome dapper dude. And what a crazy life he's lived! I also don't know how his skin looks sooo good with all that tanning! I'd look like a prune! Did you know that his ex wife (mother of his son Ashley) married Rod Stewart... And Ashley married Shannon Doherty.....and on and on...what a crazy story! Loved it girlfriend!! Vanna

Laurie, girl, you are famous! I enjoyed the story so much... how funny about his Dad delivering the babies in your little town and his Mom naming them Gary!Okay, let's see that photo!(you think your hubby got a little jealous?!?...J/K )

Oh, Laurie! What a story! You're so funny! I too, think that George is a gorgeous hunk of man! How nice of him to give his time back to his little town. Sounds like he really is a nice person. Do you think your dear hubby messed up on purpose? Naw, he wouldn't do that! :)Be a sweetie and thanks for popping in to see me.Shelia ;)

Laurie dear friend...thanks for coming by even those I am under construction with Len in the house..Now Laurie I bought those lights in Feb and he is just hanging them..I have a Chandy still in the box in the barn noe for 3 yeras..the only thing that moves Len fast is Diarrhea now girl I told you that before. Thanks for all your support.. hugs and smiles...Gloria

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